Belgium Has Announced It Will Recognize Palestine At The UN And Impose Sanctions On Israel

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Belgium said on Tuesday, Sept. 2, it will recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly in September and impose sanctions on Israel in response to Israel's genocide in Gaza.

Foreign minister Maxime Prévot told the parliament that Belgium will recognize Palestine on two conditions: once Hamas releases all of the Israeli hostages and is removed from governance in Palestinian territories.

As part of its announcement, Prévot also confirmed the country is imposing 12 sanctions against Israel, including banning imports from illegal Israeli settlements and reviewing its procurement policies with Israeli companies.

He said Belgium will also declare several figures persona non grata, including far-right Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, violent Israeli settlers, as well as Hamas' leaders.

Prévot added that the measures are intended to target “state policies” and not Israeli citizens.

The Belgian government is also calling on the European Union to suspend its a trade and political agreement with Israel that gives Israel preferential access to EU markets, with the goal of pushing other European governments to move beyond statements of condemnation.

Israeli officials condemned the move, with Ben-Gvir calling it a hostile act.

Belgium's announcement comes after Australia, Britain, Canada, France and Malta all said they are ready to recognize Palestine at UN General Assembly in September or increase diplomatic pressure on Israel.

Meanwhile, the US has denied visas to the Palestinian delegation going to attend the UN General Assembly, including the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, who has no relation with Hamas.

Israel's genocide in Gaza has now killed more than 63,633 Palestinians since Oct. 7, 2023.

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